Thursday, April 10, 2008
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month...
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and encourage individuals and communities to support children and families. Learn more about the history of the month, see examples of Presidential and State proclamations, and find strategies for engaging communities and supporting families.
A study released in January by Prevent Child Abuse America calculates that an investment in the prevention of child abuse and neglect can save the nation over $100 Billion per year. The study, entitled Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States can be found by clicking here.
This brief document clearly shows the long-term adverse experiences and economic effects of child abuse and neglect on children, their families and society as a whole. Direct costs associated with child abuse and neglect including foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment, and law enforcement total more than $33 billion. Indirect costs of over $70 billion include loss of productivity as well as expenditures related to chronic health problems, special education, and the criminal justice system. Providing these services is of vital importance; it does beg the question, "Why aren't we focused on preventing abuse and neglect before it occurs, rather than responding after the fact?"
$104 billion is not small change, especially in our current economic environment. It is the kind of money that should encourage every American to take pause, every politician to take a stand and everyone who cares about children to change the way we, as a country, think about prevention.
Attention to preventing child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place makes good common sense and it makes 'cents' for our children, our country and our economy.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and encourage individuals and communities to support children and families. Learn more about the history of the month, see examples of Presidential and State proclamations, and find strategies for engaging communities and supporting families.
- History of Prevention Month
- Proclamations and press releases
- Get involved
- 2008 Resource Packet and related materials
- Archived community resource packets
A study released in January by Prevent Child Abuse America calculates that an investment in the prevention of child abuse and neglect can save the nation over $100 Billion per year. The study, entitled Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States can be found by clicking here.
This brief document clearly shows the long-term adverse experiences and economic effects of child abuse and neglect on children, their families and society as a whole. Direct costs associated with child abuse and neglect including foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment, and law enforcement total more than $33 billion. Indirect costs of over $70 billion include loss of productivity as well as expenditures related to chronic health problems, special education, and the criminal justice system. Providing these services is of vital importance; it does beg the question, "Why aren't we focused on preventing abuse and neglect before it occurs, rather than responding after the fact?"
$104 billion is not small change, especially in our current economic environment. It is the kind of money that should encourage every American to take pause, every politician to take a stand and everyone who cares about children to change the way we, as a country, think about prevention.
Attention to preventing child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place makes good common sense and it makes 'cents' for our children, our country and our economy.
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:06 PM 
